Agostinho dos Santos

Agostinho dos Santos
Birth name Agostinho dos Santos
Born (1932-04-25)April 25, 1932
São Paulo, Brazil
Died July 11, 1973(1973-07-11) (aged 41)
Orly, France
Genres Bossa nova, MPB, rock and roll
Occupation(s) Singer, songwriter
Years active 1951–1973
Labels Star Records (Brazil), Polydor, RGE, Elenco, Ritmos Codil, Premier, London Records/Odeon Records, Continental Records, Phonogram Records/Polyfar, SBA, Copacabana

Agostinho dos Santos was a Brazilian singer and composer of bossa nova, MPB and rock and roll, active from the early 1950s until his premature death in an airplane accident in 1973. Dos Santos is best known today for lending his voice to the soundtrack of the classic 1959 film Orfeu Negro. He is also credited with playing a role in the development of the careers of other important Bossa Nova artists, such as João Gilberto and Milton Nascimento. Dos Santos' voice was a baritone with bright coloring and a light vibrato, singing in a style called (in Portuguese) "crooner da orchestra".[1]

Career

Agostinho dos Santos was born in São Paulo, in the neighborhood called Bela Vista or Bixiga.[2] One of Dos Santos' first jobs in music was singing at a taxi-dancing club called O maravilhoso in São Paulo.[3] Early in his career, Dos Santos sang with the orchestra of Osmar Milani, and on a lunchtime radio program hosted by Manuel de Nóbrega on Radio Nacional.[4] Dos Santos' first recordings were successes. The first, Vendedor de laranjas (Orange Seller) became widely popular in Brazil, while his second major hit, Meu benzinho was a Portuguese version of the song "My Little One" recorded in English by Frankie Laine.[5] Also during this period Dos Santos successfully recorded a Portuguese version of the Bill Haley hit "See You Later Alligator", "Até Logo, Jacaré." During 1959, Dos Santos frequently appeared on a music program featuring Tom Jobim, called O bom Tom, broadcast on TV Paulista in São Paulo.[6]

Dos Santos provided his voice to an important film of the Bossa Nova era, Orfeu Negro (Black Orpheus) (1959), dubbing the songs sung by the lead character in the film (Orpheu), played by Breno Mello. Dos Santos was selected to dub the part in preference to João Gilberto, who also auditioned for the part, because the producers felt Dos Santos' voice sounded more black (Dos Santos was in fact black, and Gilberto was white).[7] As a result of his work in the film, Dos Santos received offers to appear in music clubs, theaters, and on television worldwide.[4]

Dos Santos was a participant in the historic 1962 concert Bossa Nova at Carnegie Hall, in which he enjoyed great success with the audience.[8] A review in the New York Times cited Dos Santos performance particularly, stating that his voice was the most beautiful voice of the decade.[4] In 1963, Agostinho traveled with Jose Scatena, president of the RGE record label, on a visit that inaugurated the release of RGE offerings through the Argentinian record company Fermata.[9] By 1964, Agostinho was one of the highest paid television performers in Brazil.[10] Agostinho participated in the first Onda Nueva music festival in Venezuela in 1971.[11]

During his career, Dos Santos toured through the U.S., Italy, Germany, Portugal, Chile, Uruguay, Argentina, Venezuela, and Mexico. He performed in the U.S. and in Brazil with Johnny Mathis, and, in Italy, with Caterina Valente.[12] He appeared on TV in France, Portugal, England, and Belgium. Dos Santos' compositions include "Forças Ocultas" (with Antônio Bruno), "Sozinho Com Você" (with Dirce Morais/Heitor Canilo), "Chuva Para Molhar O Sol" (with Edison Borges), "Podem Falar" (with Renato Duarte), "Distância é Saudade," and "Quem Levou Maria."

Influence on Brazilian popular music

Bossa Nova historian Walter Silva states that it was Dos Santos who introduced João Gilberto to the rhythmic innovations of Johnny Alf (Alfredo José da Silva), considered to be the father of Bossa Nova.[13][14] Gilberto would go on to build an illustrious career on this stylistic foundation. In their history of Brazilian popular music, Chris McGowan and Ricardo Pessanha credit Dos Santos with submitting the work of Milton Nascimento to the 1967 Second Festival Internacional de Canção (FIC) (International Song Festival), resulting in Nascimento's work being accepted to the festival and triggering further growth in Nascimento's career.[15][16][17] Dos Santos was also artistic director of the LP album of performances at the festival, which was issued by the Brazilian record company Codil.[18]

Personal life

Dos Santos had three children.[19] Dos Santos played soccer (futbol) for a team from his neighborhood in São Paulo called Boca Junior, and also for on a team composed of fellow musicians.[4]

Death

Dos Santos was a passenger on Varig Flight 820, traveling from Galeão Airport, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to Orly Airport, Paris, France, on July 11, 1973, when a fire on board the airplane caused it to make an emergency landing in a field not far from the airport.[20] Dos Santos was among the 123 fatalities.[21][22]

Discography

During his career, Agostinho recorded for a variety of labels, including Polydor, RGE, Odeon, Continental, and Sinter.[23]

Filmography

Dos Santos appeared on screen in at least one film, called Operaçao dinamite (Operation Dynamite). In that film, produced in Portugal in 1967, dos Santos appeared as himself.[24]

References

  1. ↑ "Agostinho dos Santos: Dono de um timbre de voz único dentro de nossa música popular, (Agostinho dos Santos: Who possessed a vocal sound unique in our popular music". Radio Universidade de São Paulo.
  2. ↑ Lopomo, Mario - Bela Vista (Bixiga). "Logo mais adiante na rua Santo Antonio nasceu o cantor Agostinho dos Santos (morto num desastre de avião na Franca em 1973) trans.: Soon afterward the singer Agostinho dos Santos (who died in an airplane disaster in France in 1973) was born on Santo Antonio Street". São Paulo Minha Cidade.
  3. ↑ Borelli, Hélvio (2005). Noites paulistanas: histórias e revelações musicais das décadas de 50 e 60. Sao Paulo, Brasil: Editroa Arte e Ciencia. ISBN 85-7473-143-9.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Silva, Walter (2002). Vou te contar: Histórias de música popular Brasileira. São Paulo, Brasil: F-QM Editores Associadas Ltda. p. 108.
  5. ↑ Silva, Walter (2002). Vou te contar: Histórias de música popular Brasileira. São Paulo, Brasil: F-QM Editores Associadas Ltda. pp. 108, 260.
  6. ↑ Castro, Ruy (1990). Bossa Nova: The Story of the Brazilian Music That Seduced the World. Chicago, IL: A Capella Books. p. 165. ISBN 978-1-55652-494-3.
  7. ↑ Castro, Ruy (1990). Bossa Nova: The Story of the Brazilian Music That Seduced the World. Chicago, IL: A Capella Books. pp. 166–167. ISBN 978-1-55652-494-3.
  8. ↑ Castro, Ruy (1990). Bossa Nova: The Story of the Brazilian Music That Seduced the World. Chicago, IL: A Capella Books. pp. 245–252. ISBN 978-1-55652-494-3.
  9. ↑ "International News Reports: Brazil". Billboard. 16. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 75: 38–39. 20 April 1963. ISSN 0006-2510.
  10. ↑ Echeverria, Regina (2005). Furacão Elis. Sao Paulo, Brasil: Ediouro Publicações.
  11. ↑ Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 83 (4): 63. 23 Jan 1971. ISSN 0006-2510., "Los festivales de la onda nueva". Musica Popular de Venezuela. Retrieved 24 July 2011.
  12. ↑ Marcondes, Marco A. (1998). Enciclopédia da música brasileira: popular, erudita e folclórica. Art Editora/Itau. p. 713.
  13. ↑ Silva, Walter (2002). Vou te contar: Histórias de música popular Brasileira. São Paulo, Brasil: F-QM Editores Associadas Ltda. p. 109.
  14. ↑ Rohter, Larry (March 11, 2010). "Johnny Alf, a 'Father of Bossa Nova,' Dies at 80". The New York Times.
  15. ↑ Echeverria, Regina (2007). Furacão Elis. Sao Paulo, Brasil: Ediouro Publicações.
  16. ↑ Chris McGowan, Chris, and Ricardo Pessanha; Ricardo Pessanha (1998). The Brazilian Sound, samba, bossa nova, and the popular music of Brazil. Philadelphia: Temple University Press. ISBN 1-56639-544-5., p.107.
  17. ↑ Homem de Mello, Zuza (2003). A era dos festivais: uma parabola. São Paulo, Brasil: Editora 34. ISBN 85-7326-272-9. pp.235-239.
  18. ↑ Homem de Mello, Zuza (2003). A era dos festivais: uma parabola. São Paulo, Brasil: Editora 34. ISBN 85-7326-272-9., p. 249.
  19. ↑ Walter Silva, Vou te contar: Histórias de música popular Brasileira, F-QM Editores Associadas Ltda, São Paulo, Brasil 2002, p. 10.
  20. ↑ "Crash-aerien 11 JUL 1973 d'un Boeing 707-345C PP-VJZ - Paris-Orly Airport". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 24 July 2011.
  21. ↑ "The World: Death in the Air: Fire and Fumes". Time. July 23, 1973.
  22. ↑ Walter Silva, Vou te contar: Histórias de música popular Brasileira, F-QM Editores Associadas Ltda., São Paulo, Brasil 2002, pp. 109, 259.
  23. ↑ dos Santos, Thiago. "Acervo cultural Agostinho dos Santos: Discografia". Retrieved 24 July 2011., Silva, Walter (2002). Vou te contar: Histórias de música popular Brasileira. São Paulo, Brasil: F-QM Editores Associadas Ltda. p. 109., Castro, Ruy (1990). Bossa Nova: The Story of the Brazilian Music That Seduced the World. Chicago, IL: A Capella Books. p. 263. ISBN 978-1-55652-494-3.
  24. ↑ World Filmography 1967, Peter Cowie, ed., A.S. Barnes & Co. Inc. Cranbury N.J. (1977), ISBN 0-498-01565-3, p. 474.
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